KAMPALA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The President of the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) has warned athletes against vanishing when they take part in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Uganda will take part in the Games that bring together Commonwealth nations between 4th and 15th of April in Australia.
"We are going to act tough on athletes and associations whose athletes disappear when we go for these Games," William Blick, President of the Committee told Xinhua in an interview on Monday.
Last year Ugandan Boxers vanished in Germany after the World Championships, while two rugby players also disappeared during a 7s tournament in Munich.
"We are not going to tolerate such incidents where athletes disappear when they go for international events. We shall act tough and start stopping associations whose athletes vanish from taking teams for international events," said Blick.
In the past Uganda have also had athletes disappear after Olympic Games. Blick reasoned that they are not going to police the athletes during Games, but warned the respective associations to caution their athletes.
"All athletes will sign a code of conduct and if they break it or vanish they will be in trouble," he added.
Uganda is expected to send around 70 athletes to the Commonwealth Games and 30 officials. Already three weightlifters, Julius Ssekitoleko (56kg), Hakim Musoke Ssempereza (69kg) and Kalidi Batuusa (94kg) and the Netball and rugby 7s teams have direct qualification.
Elijah Njawuzi Mwebaza, the UOC administrator told Xinhua that Uganda have 37 fully paid places by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), the international organization responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games. Uganda will also field athletes in boxing, badminton, squash, swimming, shooting, table tennis and track and field events.
